Peer review

1.
How to Peer Revise and
Edit
Created by Taylor Flavin for her 7th grade class

2.
To Begin
 First, read your partners writing for pleasure. Do not
make any comments or marks on the paper. You
should read the writing the first time all the way
through without giving any feedback. This allows you
to have time to critically analyze the structure and
ideas of the writing.

3.
Next…
 Next you should get 6 different colored highlighters,
markers, or colored pencils. You will make a key for
your partner indicating which color represents each of
the following components of revising and editing:
 Word Choice
 Ideas and Content
 Organization
 Sentence Fluency
 Voice
 Convention (Capitalization, usage, punctuation, spelling)

4.
Word Choice
 You will now skim the paper and revise for word
choice. You can suggest substituting or omitting words
that you see your partner using too frequently in the
writing. If you suggest that they replace the word,
maybe you can give them an example. This will
enhance description in your partner’s writing.
For example: If your partner uses the word jump
repeatedly in their writing, you might suggest he/she uses
words such as, vault, hurdle, hop, plummet, or pounce.

5.
Ideas and Content
 Next, you will review your partner’s writing and focus on the
ideas and content of the paper. You can give feedback by
asking your partner to provide more detail or be more
specific during a certain part in their writing to enhance the
ideas in the writing. You might also ask a question that will
help them to clarify confusions you run across throughout
their writing.
 You might also ensure that your partner sticks to the topic
of the writing described in the introduction. For example, if
the writing is supposed to be about the person and they
start talking about their sister. You could make a comment
to remind them to stay on the topic.

6.
Organization
 Here, you should focus on ensuring that your partner has
organized and structured his or her writing in a way that is
clear and accessible to the reader.
 For this assignment specifically, you were each asked to
write a 5 paragraph essay. The first paragraph should
introduce the topic, next you should have 3 main idea
paragraphs, and the last paragraph should conclude the
topic. You should make sure your partner sticks to this
structure. You might suggest that your partner moves
ideas, words, or sentences around to develop better
organization.

7.
Sentence Fluency
 You can test your partners sentence fluency by
reading the writing aloud. It is important that the
writing flows, in order to make sense to the readers.
 These are some things to look for when revising for
fluency:
 Smooth and expressive sentences
 Variety in sentence beginnings
 Variety in sentence length and structure
 Easy to read
 Easy to understand
 Rhythm, rhyme, and other sound effects

8.
Voice
 You should feel the voice “come alive” from your
partner’s writing when reading. Can you feel the
writers feelings? Can you sense their perspective or
view on their topic or writing?
 The writing should be unique and express who the
writer is. If the writing does not have any feeling or
emotion in it, you might suggest this to your partner.

9.
Conventions
 This is where you focus on editing your partner’s
writing for correct verb usage, punctuation, spelling,
and capitalization. Without these components,
sentence fluency, organization, ideas/content, and
voice are not near as powerful.
 Carefully review the writing and look for each of the 4
parts of conventions.

10.
Positive and Constructive
 After revising and editing for each of the components,
you will provide a summary for your partner. You will
give your partner at least 3-5 positive comments and
1-3 constructive comments to help your partner
improve their writing.
 You have successfully revised and edited your
partner’s writing! Now, carefully consider and
incorporate your partner’s feedback to improve your
own writing! YOU DID IT!